Combined magnetic shield member and pressure pad for a magnetic reader

ABSTRACT

A point of sale (POS) device is provided and includes a magnetic ink character reader (MICR), and a magnetic shield member. The magnetic shield member includes a biasing member, a first shielding member and a second shielding member. The first shielding member applies a force on the MICR and the first and the second shielding members shield the MICR from magnetic interference.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/117,246, filed May 8, 2008, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/934,423, filed Nov. 2, 2007, the contents ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to a magnetic shield member, and moreparticularly, to a combined magnetic shield member and pressure pad fora magnetic reader.

Face-to-face retail sales transactions take place at a point of sale(“POS”) or what is commonly referred to as a checkout line or a counter.In this case, a customer typically purchases goods by either cash,check, charge or debit card.

To effectuate a sales transaction, many retailers presently use a POSsystem to facilitate and provide a record of the sales transactions.Such a POS system may include a scanner for reading coded product price,a terminal for manual entry of transaction information and storage ofcurrency and a printer which may be used to produce a documentary recordor journal for the business and a printed receipt for the customer.

In addition, the POS system may include a check processing system tofacilitate the sales transaction when a check is used for payment. Thecheck processing system includes a magnetic ink character recognition(“MICR”) reader for reading magnetic information stored in magnetic inkprinted on a front side of checks or other documents. However, in orderto generate a strong magnetic signal which is required to accuratelyread the magnetic information from the checks or other documents, thechecks and other documents must be kept in close contact with the MICRreader. Therefore, a pressure pad which applies a force onto a backsideof the checks or other documents has been previously developed in orderto keep the checks or other documents in close contact with the MICRreader.

However, check processing systems including the MICR reader can beaffected by magnetic interference generated from external and internalsources. That is, external sources, such as display devices andscanners, and internal sources, such as paper feed motors, print headsand solenoids, generate magnetic fields which result in magneticinterference relative to the magnetic information stored within themagnetic ink portion of the checks or other documents. The magneticinterference prevents the MICR reader from accurately reading themagnetic information stored on the checks or other documents.Nonetheless, in order produce a low-cost and high throughput printer,the MICR reader must be positioned as close as possible to othercomponents within the printer, including the paper feed motors and theprint head.

One of the methods used to overcome this problem with magneticinterference has been to surround the MICR reader and pressure pad witha high permeability shielding material, including a nickel alloy such asMu-Metal™ or Permalloy™, to thereby shield the MICR reader from magneticinterference. However, this method significantly increases amanufacturing cost of the printer since the high permeability shieldingmaterial is expensive and a large volume thereof is required in order tosurround the MICR reader and pressure pad. In addition, due to the largeamount of material volume and the proximity to other components withinthe printer, the high permeability shielding material can causeadditional problems, such as overheating.

Therefore, in order to reduce the effect of magnetic interference on theMICR reader, minimize an overheating of the printer and reduce amanufacturing cost of the printer, a magnetic interference shield whichuses a minimum amount of material volume is desirable.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantagesare provided by a point of sale (POS) device that includes a magneticink character reader (MICR), which is configured to read magneticallyrecorded data from a document inserted in the POS device, and a magneticshield member. The magnetic shield member includes a biasing memberincluding a first end configured to be attached to the MICR within thePOS device, a second end opposite to the first end and being configuredto face the MICR, and an intermediate portion disposed between the firstand second ends to form a first obtuse angle between the intermediateportion and the first end and a second obtuse angle between theintermediate portion and the second end, a first shielding memberincluding a first end, which extends integrally from the second end ofthe biasing member, a second end opposite to the first end and a firstarched portion disposed between the first end and the second end, whichintegrally connects the first end thereof with the second end thereof,and which includes a concave portion configured to face the MICR withthe document disposed therebetween, and a second shielding member, whichextends integrally from the second end of the first shielding member andwhich includes a second arched portion including a concave portionconfigured to face the first arched portion.

The first shielding member applies a force on the MICR and the first andthe second shielding members shield the MICR from magnetic interference.

Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniquesof the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the inventionare described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimedinvention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantagesand features, refer to the description and to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, andadvantages of the invention are apparent from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a partial front perspective schematic drawing illustrating adevice having an exemplary embodiment of a magnetic shield member inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective schematic drawing of the exemplaryembodiment of a magnetic shield member as illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial front perspective schematic drawing illustrating adevice having another exemplary embodiment of a magnetic shield memberin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial front perspective schematic drawing illustrating adevice having another exemplary embodiment of a magnetic shield memberin accordance with the present invention.

The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of theinvention, together with advantages and features, by way of example withreference to the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will be described with respect to a point-of-sale(“POS”) check reader having a magnetic ink character recognition(“MICR”) reader. However, the present invention is also applicable toother types of magnetic readers including, but not limited to, magnetictape heads, magnetic disks, or magnetic strip readers (“MSR”) whichoperate in environments subject to magnetic interference.

FIG. 1 is a partial front perspective schematic drawing illustrating adevice having an exemplary embodiment of a magnetic shield member 100 inaccordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front perspectiveschematic drawing of the exemplary embodiment of a magnetic shieldmember 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial front perspective schematic drawing illustrating adevice having another exemplary embodiment of a magnetic shield member200 in accordance with the present invention and FIG. 4 is a partialfront perspective schematic drawing illustrating a device having anotherexemplary embodiment of a magnetic shield member 300 in accordance withthe present invention.

An exemplary embodiment of the magnetic shield member 100 in accordancewith the present invention will now be described in conjunction with aPOS check reader 10. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the POS check reader 10includes a magnetic ink character recognition (“MICR”) read head 20 anddocument feed rollers 30 which are contained within a housing 40. ThePOS check reader 10 further includes a document insertion region 50,through which documents, such as checks, are fed and received by thefeed rollers 30. As best seen with reference to FIG. 3, the documentsare fed via the feed rollers 30 in a direction along a document feedpath 60. In exemplary embodiments, the feed rollers 30 are powered suchthat a feed velocity of the documents is controlled. Documents insertedwithin the document insertion region 50 are configured to travel alongthe document feed path 60 and in between an active region 70 (FIG. 1) ofthe MICR read head 20 and the magnetic shield member 100 (FIG. 1). Theactive region 70 of the MICR read head 20 is a thin linear gap extendingsubstantially perpendicular to the direction of the document feed path60 and parallel to an axis of each of the feed rollers 30.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the magnetic shield member 100 includesa biasing member 110 and a shielding member 120. The biasing member 110includes a first end 111, a second end 112 which is opposite to thefirst end 111 and an intermediate portion 113 disposed between the firstand second ends 111 and 112. The first end 111 is configured to beattached within the POS check reader 10 and the second end 112 isconfigured to face the active region 70 of the MICR read head 20. Inexemplary embodiments, the biasing member 110 includes a first angle 114between the intermediate portion 113 and the first end 111 and a secondangle 115 between the intermediate portion 113 and the second end 112.In an exemplary embodiment, the first and second angles 114 and 115 areobtuse, such that the intermediate portion 113 extends obliquely fromthe first and second ends 111 and 112 of the biasing member 110.

In exemplary embodiments, the shielding member 120 includes a first end121, a second end 122 which is opposite to the first end 121 and anarched portion 123 which is disposed between the first and second ends121 and 122. The arched portion 123, which includes a concave portion128 which faces the MICR read head 20, integrally connects the first end121 of the shielding member to the second end 122 of the shieldingmember. In exemplary embodiments, the shielding member 120 includes atleast one pressure pad 124 integrally formed with the first and secondends 121 and 122 of the shielding member 120. In an exemplaryembodiment, the pressure pad 124 includes a rounded portion configuredto contact the MICR read head 20.

In the current exemplary embodiment, the shielding member 120 includespressure pads 124 which are integrally formed on each first and secondends 121 and 122 of the shielding member 120. The rounded portions ofthe pressure pads 124 allow checks or other documents to easily passbetween the pressure pads 124 and the MICR read head 20.

In exemplary embodiments, the pressure pads 124 are formed from a samematerial as the magnetic shield member 100, however the presentinvention is not limited thereto. That is, the pressure pad 124 mayinclude any material conventionally known in the art which includesdesired friction characteristics, such as a thermoplastic.

In exemplary embodiments, the arched portion 123 of the shielding member120 may include a U-shape, a semi-circular shape or a partiallycylindrical shape, however the present invention is not limited thereto.That is, in exemplary embodiments, the arched portion 123 of theshielding member 120 may include various other shapes in order toeffectively shield the MICR read head 20 from magnetic interference.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in exemplary embodiments, the shieldingmember 120 includes at least two opposing sidewall portions 125 and 126which are integrally connected to each other by the arched portion 123,thereby forming a cavity 127 therein. In exemplary embodiments, thesidewall portions 125 and 126 are substantially perpendicular withrespect to the document feed path 60 and the MICR read head 20.

In further exemplary embodiments, the magnetic shield member 100includes a width substantially similar to a width of the MICR read head20, to thereby effectively shield the active region 70 of the MICR readhead 20 from magnetic interference. In exemplary embodiments, themagnetic shield member 100 is fabricated from a high magneticpermeability material. In further exemplary embodiments, the magneticshield member 100 is fabricated from a nickel-alloy sheet includingMu-Metal™ or Permalloy™.

In alternative exemplary embodiments, the shielding member 120 isfabricated from a nickel-alloy, including Mu-Metal™ or Permalloy™, andthe biasing member 110 is fabricated from any material conventionallyknown in the art capable of providing a desired force onto the shieldingmember 120, such as a thermoplastic. In further alternative exemplaryembodiments, the biasing member 110 and the shielding member 120 may befabricated from different materials. That is, the first end 111, thesecond end 112 and the intermediate portion 113 of the biasing member110 may be fabricated from different materials than the shielding member120.

In the current exemplary embodiment, the biasing member 110 extends in adirection away from the shielding member 120 such that mounting thebiasing member 110 within the housing 40 creates a biasing force whichthereby forces the shielding member 120 in a direction toward the MICRread head 20. That is, the biasing member 110 is configured to bias theshielding member 120 in a direction substantially toward the MICR readhead 20, such that the pressure pads 124 make contact with an area aboveand below the active region 70 of the MICR read head 20.

However, in alternative exemplary embodiments, the biasing member 110 isconfigured to function as a pivot, such that the shielding member 120rotates with respect to the pivot and the pressure pads 124 of theshielding member 120 make contact with an area above and below theactive region 70 of the MICR read head 20. Although not shown, themagnetic shield member 100 may include a separate force applying member(not shown), which is configured to apply a force 130 onto the shieldingmember 120.

Referring now to FIG. 3, another exemplary embodiment of a magneticshield member 200 includes a biasing member 210 and a shielding member220. The biasing member 210 includes a first end 211, a second end 212which is opposite to the first end 211 and an intermediate portion 213disposed between the first and second ends 211 and 212. The first end211 is configured to be attached within the POS check reader 10 and thesecond end 212 is configured to face the active region 70 of the MICRread head 20. In exemplary embodiments, the biasing member 210 includesa first angle between the intermediate portion 213 and the first end 211and a second angle between the intermediate portion 213 and the secondend 212. In an exemplary embodiment, the first and second angles areobtuse, such that the intermediate portion 213 extends obliquely fromthe first and second ends 211 and 212 of the biasing member 210.

In exemplary embodiments, the shielding member 220 includes a first end221, a second end 222 which is opposite to the first end 221 and anarched portion 223 which is disposed between the first and second ends221 and 222. The arched portion 223, which includes a concave portion229 which faces the MICR read head 20, integrally connects the first end221 of the shielding member 220 to the second end 222 of the shieldingmember 220. In the current exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG.3, the arched portion 223 has a relatively shallow arch as compared tothe arched portion 123 of the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS.1 and 2. That is, in the current exemplary embodiment, the archedportion 223 has a larger radius of curvature as compared with theprevious exemplary embodiment, such that the concave portion 229 of thearched portion 223 is configured to be substantially adjacent to theMICR read head 20.

In exemplary embodiments, the shielding member 220 includes at least onepressure pad 224 integrally formed with the first and second ends 221and 222 of the shielding member 220. In an exemplary embodiment, thepressure pad 224 includes a rounded portion configured to contact theMICR read head 20.

In the current exemplary embodiment, the shielding member 220 includespressure pads 224 which are integrally formed on each first and secondends 221 and 222 of the shielding member 220. The rounded portions ofthe pressure pads 224 allow checks or other documents to easily passbetween the pressure pads 224 and the MICR read head 20.

In exemplary embodiments, the pressure pads 224 are formed from a samematerial as the magnetic shield member 200, however the presentinvention is not limited thereto. That is, the pressure pad 224 mayinclude any material conventionally known in the art which includesdesired friction characteristics, such as a thermoplastic.

In exemplary embodiments, the arched portion 223 of the shielding member220 may include a U-shape, a semi-circular shape or a partiallycylindrical shape, however the present invention is not limited thereto.That is, in exemplary embodiments, the arched portion 223 of theshielding member 220 may include various other shapes in order toeffectively shield the MICR read head 20 from magnetic interference.

In the current exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3, theshielding member 220 further includes a first sidewall portion 226 whichextends from the second end 222 of the shielding member 220, a secondsidewall portion 227 which opposes the first sidewall portion 226 and ashielding arch 225 which is disposed between the first and secondsidewall portions 226 and 227. The shielding arch 225, which includes aconcave portion 230 which faces a direction toward the MICR read head20, integrally connects the first sidewall portion 226 to the secondsidewall portion 227, thereby forming a cavity 228 therein. In exemplaryembodiments, the sidewall portions 226 and 227 are substantiallyperpendicular with respect to the document feed path 60 and the MICRread head 20.

In exemplary embodiments, the shielding arch 225, as illustrated in FIG.3, has a relatively larger arch as compared to the arched portion 223.That is, in the current exemplary embodiment, the arched portion 225 hasa larger radius of curvature as compared with the arched portion 223. Inexemplary embodiments, the first sidewall portion 226, the shieldingarch 225 and the second sidewall portion 227 are integrally connected tothe second end 212 of the biasing member 210. However, in alternativeexemplary embodiments, the second sidewall portion 227 may be separatedfrom the biasing member 210.

In exemplary embodiments, the shielding arch 225 may include a U-shape,a semi-circular shape or a partially cylindrical shape in order toshield the MICR read head 20 from magnetic interference. However, theshielding arch 225 of the present invention is not limited to theretoand may include various other shapes.

In further exemplary embodiments, the magnetic shield member 200includes a width substantially similar to a width of the MICR read head20, to thereby effectively shield the active region 70 of the MICR readhead 20 from magnetic interference. In exemplary embodiments, themagnetic shield member 200 is fabricated from a high magneticpermeability material. In further exemplary embodiments, the magneticshield member 200 is fabricated from a nickel-alloy sheet includingMu-Metal™ or Permalloy™.

In alternative exemplary embodiments, the shielding member 220 isfabricated from a nickel-alloy, including Mu-Metal™ or Permalloy™, andthe biasing member 210 is fabricated from any material conventionallyknown in the art capable of providing a desired force onto the shieldingmember 220, such as a thermoplastic. In further alternative exemplaryembodiments, the biasing member 210 and the shielding member 220 may befabricated from different materials. That is, the first end 211, thesecond end 212 and the intermediate portion 213 of the biasing member110 may be fabricated from different materials than the shielding member220.

In the current exemplary embodiment, the biasing member 210 extends in adirection away from the shielding member 220 such that mounting thebiasing member 210 within the housing 40 creates a biasing force whichthereby forces the shielding member 220 in a direction toward the MICRread head 20. That is, the biasing member 210 is configured to bias theshielding member 120 in a direction substantially toward the MICR readhead 20, such that the pressure pads 224 make contact with an area aboveand below the active region 70 of the MICR read head 20.

However, in alternative exemplary embodiments, the biasing member 210 isconfigured to function as a pivot, such that the shielding member 220rotates with respect to the pivot, and the pressure pads 224 of theshielding member 220 make contact with an area above and below theactive region 70 of the MICR read head 20. Although not shown, themagnetic shield member 200 may include a separate force applying member(not shown), which is configured to apply a force onto the shieldingmember 220.

Referring now to FIG. 4, yet another exemplary embodiment of a magneticshield member 300 is illustrated. The magnetic shield member 300 issubstantially similar to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3,but further includes at least one shielding sidewall 328 which enclosesa corresponding end portion of a cavity (not shown) which is defined bysidewalls 326 and 327 and a shielding arch 325. In exemplaryembodiments, the cavity is filled with a filling material including ahigh magnetic permeability material. In further exemplary embodiments,the filling material may include a nickel-alloy, such as Mu-Metal™ orPermalloy™.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention combines a magneticinterference shielding function and a pressure pad function into asingle part, to thereby ensure that material volume and thereforematerial costs and manufacturing costs associated therewith are reduced.

While the preferred embodiments to the invention have been described, itwill be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in thefuture, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall withinthe scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construedto maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.

1. A point of sale (POS) device, comprising: a magnetic ink characterreader (MICR), which is configured to read magnetically recorded datafrom a document inserted in the POS device; and a magnetic shield memberincluding: a biasing member including a first end configured to beattached to the MICR within the POS device, a second end opposite to thefirst end and being configured to face the MICR, and an intermediateportion disposed between the first and second ends to form a firstobtuse angle between the intermediate portion and the first end and asecond obtuse angle between the intermediate portion and the second end,a first shielding member including a first end, which extends integrallyfrom the second end of the biasing member, a second end opposite to thefirst end and a first arched portion disposed between the first end andthe second end, which integrally connects the first end thereof with thesecond end thereof, and which includes a concave portion configured toface the MICR with the document disposed therebetween, and a secondshielding member, which extends integrally from the second end of thefirst shielding member and which includes a second arched portionincluding a concave portion configured to face the first arched portion,wherein the first shielding member applies a force on the MICR and thefirst and the second shielding members shield the MICR from magneticinterference.